I recently got my(AMC Eagle '87) car running great again but now it doesn’t want to start all the time! Sometimes it starts right up other times it take 5 tries or so. I turn the ignition and it sounds like it wants to engage and begin to crank but doesn’t. It makes a sound like VRRR (like its about to crank) then just dies out and WHHHIIRRRRSSssss (getting quieter)… like something is just spinning. I did a couple tests on the wall mounted solenoid before getting rained out and it seemed to be getting juice flowing throw it. No difference in Ohms from testing the S Terminal and then the ground terminal. I also replaced my starter around 6 years ago. Does this seem like a starter issue? Bad solenoid? Bad cable? I really hope it isn’t a flywheel issue! Any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated thank you.
If you turn the key and you hear the starter motor spin (whrrr) but doesn’t engage the flywheel and crank the engine, its the bendix on the starter that’s not allowing the gear to engage the flywheel. Gotta replace the starter. Yes it can be intermittent, working sometimes but not others. If you hear a grinding noise, like turning the key to start with the engine running, it can be some teeth on the flywheel are worn down. You can remove the cover to the flywheel though and take a look at the teeth but pretty sure you just need a new starter.